While the summer heat gives way to the cold in autumn, many American sports fans have one in mind: – Football. Turn on the TV every Saturday or Sunday night from September to January and you’ll probably see 22 men banging each other on a pigskin.
So how does your team root the victory on match day? Well, drop the beer and get out of the deckchair, because the best way to support your favorite football team is to get involved. Put on your huge foam finger and click through our tips.
Tailgating
Nothing shows your support for a football team, how hours – or even days – to show before the game. From its modest roots on the back end of a pickup truck, this classic footballing tradition has become quite a production at many high school, college and professional games. Diehard fans often drive motorhomes with state-of-the-art party equipment – from high-end barbecues to satellite dishes – all the way to the grounds. In many stadiums, the tailgating event is almost as entertaining as the game itself.
You can throw a pregame party but a little planning goes a long way. First familiarize yourself with the parking facilities and regulations of the stadium. Tailgating and alcohol consumption can be restricted to designated areas. When packaging, remember that portability and efficiency are the keys. When it’s time for the kickoff, you do not want to get stuck in the parking lot and load a bunch of gear back into the car. All you really need is a portable grill, cooking and eating utensils, and maybe a folding table for food preparation. Everything else – campers, party tents and big screen TVs – simply enhances the experience.
Learn the Traditions
Any true football fan will know the traditions of his team and enthusiastically participate. Almost every high school and college team, as well as some professional teams, has played a fight song during timeouts or after touchdowns and other big games. Learn the words to this song, as well as any choreography that fits. If you cheer for a school you visit, you will also learn the alma mater.
Your team’s support is more than just singing; Fans often attend jubilation or other spectacles during football matches. Nowhere are these traditions more effective than in college stadiums where tens of thousands of fans can scream and move together to revitalize their team. With kick-offs and other key times during the game, Razorback fans flood the field with a deafening “Woooooooo”. pig. Sooie! “Traditions like these may seem silly, but you can not be self-confident if that Play on the leash!
Show Your Team Spirit
Often this equipment is nothing more than a T-shirt, but larger and more profitable programs sell things like license plate frames, luggage and even personal checks. For some teams, selling these types of goods can be quite profitable; In 2008, the University of Texas raised more than $ 17 million through the sale of team merchandise and promotional and sponsorship deals [Source: Dexheimer].
No matter what size soccer program you support, one of the best ways to show your loyalty is by purchasing team merchandise. When you drive to a game, you should buy some car flags to mount over your windows, or a magnet to stick to the door. Some teams try to get their fans to wear the same color on match day, so watch a team shirt in that color. And not only that, logo coffee mugs will give your team a bit of advertising in your workplace, it will brag your rights every time your team wins.
Get Creative
While there is nothing wrong with wearing a nice, store-bought hoodie for a game, some fans get creative with homemade body paint, costumes, and signs. If you prefer a modest approach, there is often a tailgating stand where you can have your team’s logo painted on your cheek. But some fans all go out, paint themselves from head to toe in the colors of their team and spell out words with the letters on their bare chest, even on freezing winter nights. If you want to be even more creative (or warmer!) On the game night, wear a costume that looks like your team mascot or style your own unique outfit.
If spirited colors and costumes are not your thing, try to set a creative mark. These poster statements have become integral parts in soccer games of all levels, from the omnipresent “John 3:16” sign to those that have the acrostic of the call letters of a television station. Your character can be funny, simple, or highly decorated, but remember to make the letters large enough for people around you to see what it says. You could even get a group of friends to hold a series of characters spelling out the name of your school or mascot. Whatever you decide to do, be considerate of the fans behind you who want to see the game too!
Give Money
Unfortunately, all charcoal grills, body paint, and car magnets in the world will not buy jerseys, pay for stadium renovations, and fund scholarships. Football can be a very expensive sport, and sometimes ticket and merchandise sales are not enough to cover the running costs of a program, especially at smaller universities. In 2008, only 25 of the 119 college teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1-A) reported a budget surplus. The other 94 teams worked with an average budget deficit of $ 9.87 million [source: Moltz]. If the donors do not close this budget gap, these schools must take money out of their general resources to pay for the football. Because of this, universities are always attractive to alumni and others in the community for giving gifts of money, so donating is an excellent way to support your favorite program.
Giving is not the only way to financially support a team; You can also buy season tickets. Teams like fans buy season tickets because it guarantees that a place will be paid for the whole year, regardless of whether the fan visits all the games or not. As a thank you both to the season ticket holders and to the donors, the teams often provide these fans with electoral seats, reserved parking spaces and other perks on matchday.